1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to emergency locator and communication beacons and more specifically to a method and apparatus for testing emergency locator beacons incorporating over the air responses back to the emergency locator beacon.
2. Description of Related Art
The Cospas-Sarsat international satellite system has been operational for many years and is well known. Its sole purpose is to provide emergency distress alerting capability from an aircraft, vessel or individual in distress to relevant emergency services, via a one way satellite communications network. The system employs three types of emergency locator beacons known as Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs), Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) all operating in the 406.0 to 406.1 MHz frequency band. Each of these beacons transmits a digital message containing among other things the unique identity of each beacon. The format of this digital message is defined in international standards and is comprised of a number of different data fields, each of which contains different data depending on the particular message format of which there are a number to address differing administrations and equipment requirements.
The Cospas-Sarsat system is unique in that it is truly global and is run by various governments for the benefit of all. The system sends an emergency distress alert directly to the relevant government authority responsible for rescue efforts (e.g. U.S. Coastguard) around the world. The Cospas-Sarsat system provides a one way communications link between a beacon and one or more Cospas-Sarsat satellites. The Cospas-Sarsat satellites are in communication with one or more dispatchers who are responsible for routing a distress signal from a beacon to the appropriate first responders who carry out the rescue efforts. Specifically, the Cospas-Sarsat satellites receive a distress signal and route the data to one or more receiving and processing stations called LUTs, or local user terminals. The LUTs generate distress alert data which is then communicated to a Mission Control Center (MCC) whereby the MCC then routes instructions and information to localized Rescue Coordination Centers (RCC). The RCCs are then responsible for facilitating the coordination of the rescue efforts. While the Cospas-Sarsat system is effective, it is limited in that it only provides for one way communication, i.e. from the beacon to the responders, which can result in the omission of vital information necessary to aid the rescue effort for the person(s) in distress as well as for the responders.
More recently, commercial satellite communication systems utilizing both one way (remote user to satellite ground station only (e.g. Globalstar SPOT) or satellite ground station to remote user only (e.g. Sirius XM radio)) and two way communications have become more common and have started to be used for both emergency distress alerting and general day to day communications. These satellite communication systems are particularly useful in locations where cellular telephone antennas cannot be placed and/or where cellular telephone reception is low or non-existent. Satellite communications systems have been tailored for emergency communications through the adoption and use of Satellite Emergency Notification Devices (SENDs). Globalstar SPOT is one example of a one way version of such a device and the DeLorme InReach device is one example of a two way version of such a device. Typically, a satellite communication system operates by creating a one-way or two-way communications link between a satellite telephone or SEND and a commercial communications satellite. The commercial communications satellite may comprise the Iridium satellite system already established in the art. The communications satellite is further in communication with a satellite gateway whereby the gateway is in communication with one or more computer servers. The computer servers typically have connects to the internet, cellular telephone systems, or standard land-line telephone systems thereby allowing the satellite phone or SEND user to communicate with a plurality of other devices by way of a plurality of communications systems. In some instances, the computer servers may be in communication with a particularized commercial emergency response call center that carries out specific emergency rescue operations should the satellite phone or SEND use request them or by the pressing of an “emergency” key on his device.
There are several advantages of SEND devices compared to 406 MHz beacons in that SEND devices permit communications other than pure emergency distress alerting and thus can be used on a regular basis to remain in two way communication even when outside of an area of cellular phone coverage. In addition, SEND devices can be used to track and report on the location of the remote person as well through the use of internal GPS receivers typically found in SEND devices. In addition, because SENDs and satellite telephones permit two-way communications, in an emergency situation some of the satellite devices can provide to the user additional information on the emergency and rescue efforts and some can even permit communication with the person in distress by voice, data, or text message.
However, SEND devices also suffer from some disadvantages compared to 406 MHz beacons in that SEND devices currently have to forward distress alerts to a commercial emergency call center (e.g. a 911 call center) and this call center then has to communicate with the relevant emergency services. It is then difficult for the relevant emergency services to communicate backwards and forwards with the person in distress because the system is not cohesively and centrally established for emergency and rescue efforts.
Further still, while both the 406 MHz beacons and SEND systems have built in redundancy to allow for outages in parts of the system, each system is still dependent upon a single communications system that may break down or become unreliable in what can often be a life threatening situation.
Referring to FIG. 1, an improved system is shown which is a combination of a 406 MHz beacon transmitter system and a SEND system, referred to as a 406-SEND system. Such a system combines the radio frequency emergency alerting benefits of the Cospas-Sarsat system and the two-way communications benefits of a satellite-based SEND system. This combination provides a world class distress alerting system over the Cospas-Sarsat network together with both a secondary means of distress alerting over commercial satellite systems, permitting government agencies to communicate with the person in distress as well as receive robust emergency distress signals. The functionality of this combined system is described and claimed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 13/772,799 and 13/772,780 to which the present application claims priority and of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties herein.
All of these devices require testing in order to assure proper operation. In fact, the U.S. Coast Guard has rules requiring mandatory testing of EPRIB's on a monthly basis. As described in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 8,098,190, which is incorporated by reference herein, there are currently four main groups offering beacon testing services: TSI, Inc., government entities such as the U.S. Coast Guard and the Canadian government, various entities using beacon testing equipment manufactured by A.R.G. ElectroDesign LTD and WS technologies, and a number of small test shops/manufacturers to which beacon owners must return a beacon unit for testing. Of these groups, TSI, Inc. and the Canadian government provide “over the air” (OTA) testing, that is, testing to verify that the beacon unit is properly transmitting a signal when activated. FCC regulations have limited consumer testing of emergency locator beacons to self-testing or to the use of a beacon tester. “Live” testing through the Cospas-Sarsat Satellite system has been strictly prohibited.
However, as described in the aforementioned patent, a system and method have been provided which allow local testing and OTA testing through the Cospas-Sarsat Satellite system. In that system, a test is initiated from a beacon which test signal is received by a beacon test device, which test device transmits a signal over the Cospas-Sarsat signal network. Once the test signal is confirmed, the beacon tester sends data over the internet to a beacon information processor. Eventually, a test confirmation message is sent back to the user by way of an e-mail or a website that is accessed by the user independently from the emergency beacon.
Thus, while an improved system and method of testing emergency beacons have been provided, the system and method require independent verification of the test results discrete from the beacon itself. Such a system does not allow the user to test the beacon in a location where an internet connection or other communications network connection is not available, for example on the high seas. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an enhanced emergency beacon testing apparatus and method which allow for over-the-air test confirmation responses to be sent back directly to the emergency locator beacon. Such a system and method provide the ability to test the emergency beacon and receive a test confirmation directly on the beacon itself, allowing for test confirmation without the need for an external communications network.
It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of the aforementioned problems and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed. However, in view of the emergency beacons and related systems in existence at the time of the present invention, it was not obvious to those persons of ordinary skill in the pertinent art as to how the identified needs could be fulfilled in an advantageous manner.